Machine for manufacturing sinuous drapery pleater



July 11, 1961 o. T. STALL 2,991,822

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING SINUOUS DRAPERY PLEATER Filed June 4, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 O. T. STALL MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING SINUOUS DRAPERY PLEATER July 11, 1961- Filed June 4, 1956 INVEN TOR. dew/.44: 7. 57424 g 4% flan/7.

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July 11, 1961 o. T. STALL 2,991,822

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING SINUOUS DRAPERY PLEATER Filed June 4, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 a! 3 r 5 7 E 17 r m: r AV u 5 40 Y w J' 2 35 E uni h. i i z 38 39 INVENTOR. aemzz 715M 44 July 11, 1961 o. T. STALL 2,991,822

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING SINUOUS DRAPERY PLEATER Filed June 4, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR. 0 6044 5 Z 57:441.

United States Patent 2,991,822 MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING SINUOUS DRAPERY PLEATER Orville T. Stall, 7912 S. Chatfield Ave., Whittier, Calif.

Filed June 4, 1956, Ser. No. 589,303

13 Claims. (Cl. 15345) This invention is concerned with a machine for forming an elongate sinuous drapery pleater from a ribbon of spring steel having longitudinally spaced apertures therein, and it is a general object of the invention to provide a simple, practical, eflicient machine suitable for the manufacturing and forming or shaping of a drapery pleater.

The machine which is the subject of the present invention is used in the formation or manufacture of an elongate sinuous ribbon of spring steel adapted to be engaged in a hem at or along the upper edge portion of a drapery or other similar hanging in order to make the drapery hang in regular folds. The sinuous ribbon which I will refer to as a drapery pleater is provided with apertures at points of symmetry throughout its longitudinal extent and in which hooks, rings or other suitable drapery supporting means can be engaged. The drapery pleater being formed of spring steel is such that it will permit the drapery in which it is engaged to be drawn open and/or closed and is such that it will maintain even folds in the drapery at all times.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a machine through which a supply of spring steel in the form of an elongate perforated ribbon is drawn at a substantially constant rate and is acted upon to be finally delivered in the desired form all without the necessity of intervening manipulation of handling.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a machine including or incorporating a forming head serving to form the ribbon into its desired shape in a simple, practical, and dependable manner and more rapidly than is generally possible with equipment and methods heretofore employed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a machine including a towing head adapted to engage in the apertures in the ribbon and to. draw it through the forming head.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tension means adapted to maintain the ribbon in tension as it leaves the forming head and so that the towing head can properly engage the apertures therein.

The objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a section of sinuous drapery pleater which the machine of the present invention is adapted to manufacture.

FIG. 2. is. an end elevational view of the machine provided by the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectionalview of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 1 and showing certain parts in action and in phantom lines.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of my machine and taken substantially as indicated by line 44 on FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of my machine, it being a view taken substantially as indicated by line 55 on FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the towing head of my invention, it being a view taken substantially as indicated by line 6-6 on FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 3 with certain parts or elements removed and showing the machine in a different operating position. i

Patented July 11, 196.1

4 ice FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 and showing the machine in yet another operating position.

The machine illustrated throughout the drawings is adapted to receive an elongate ribbon-like strip S of spring steel having longitudinally spaced apertures 10 therein and to form the spring into an elongate sinuous drapery pleater P adapted to be engaged in the upper hem of a drapery or the like, with the apertures 10 therein occurring at points of symmetry throughout the longitudinal extent of the pleater and adapted to receive hooks, rings, or other suitable means for supporting the pleater, and the drapery in which it is engaged.

In FIG. 1 of the drawings, a length of drapery pleater P such as is formed by the present machine is illustrated. The drapery pleater P is characterized by a plurality of longitudinally and alternately spaced, and oppositely disposed, ciroularly curved loop sect-ions X and Y. The adjacent loop sections X and Y of the pleater are integrally joined and fare smoothly into each other along the central longitudinal axis of the pleater to establish a smooth, uninterrupted, unitary sinuous member. In the particular case illustrated, the apertures 10 in the pleater P are shown occurring at points of symmetry therein, and along the central longitudinal axis of the pleater.

The machine provided by the present invention involves generally, a frame A, a forming head B rotatably carried by the frame and adapted to receive the perforated strip S of spring steel from a suitable supply (not shown), a towing head C shiftably carried by the body A and adapted to engage and draw the strip S through the forming head B, and a suitable tension means D adapted to maintain the strip S, or pleater P, in tension as it leaves the forming head B and so that the towing head can advantageously engage the pleater as will hereinafter be described.

The machine that I provide further includes a suitable operating means E adapted to rotate the forming head relative to the frame A, a drive means F adapted to operate or shift the towing head C, an actuating means G adapted to shift the tension means D so that the pleater is maintained in tension when the towing head is shifted. I

The forming head B of the machine that I provide is a simple fabricated structure having a flat; horizontally disposed base 11, an elongate horizontally disposed beam 12 spaced above thebase, and front and rear legs 13 and 14 fixed to and extending between the base and the ends of the beam. The particular construction of the frame A does not effect the novelty of the present invention and can in practice vary widely in form and construction. For the above reasons, further unnecessary illustration and description of the frame construcg tion will be dispensed with.

The forming head B of the present invention is rotatably carried by the frame A through, or by means of, an elongate shaft 15, which shaft is carried by a pair of longitudinally spaced bearings 16 on the top of the beam 12. The head B is fixed to one end of the shaft to occur at and project beyond the end of the beam 12 of the frame.

The forming head B includes a simple, elongate blocklike body 17 with fiat, vertically disposed inner and outer ends 18 and 19, top and bottom sides 20 and 21, and flat vertically disposed front and rear sides 22 and 23. The inner end 18 of the body 17 is provided with a bore 24 which slidably receives the end of the shaft 15. A suitable lock bolt 25 is provided in the body 17 to engage the shaft 15 and serves to maintain the head in fixed position on the shaft.

The forming head B further includes a pair of vertically spaced parallel forming mandrils 26 and 27 around and between which the strip S is engaged. The lower mandril 26 is fixed to and projects from the outer end 19 of the body 17 while the upper mandril 27 is fixed to and projects outwardly from a vertically shiftable block 28, which block 28 is engaged in a suitable forwardly and upwardly opening notch or recess 29 in the body 17. The block 28 is maintained in the notch 29 by a cover plate 30 fixed to the top 20 of the body to overlie the notch and by a pin 31 which projects through a suitable opening 32 in the bottom 21 of the body and which is threadedly engaged in the bottom of the block.

An adjustable set screw 33 is carried by the plate 30 to engage the top side of the block 28 and limit the vertical movement of the block in the notch 29.

The pin 32 engaged in the bottom of the block 28 and extending through the opening 32 in the body 17 projects a substantial distance below the bottom 21 of the body and is provided with an enlarged head 34 at its lower terminal end. The head 34 is in the nature of a cam follower and is adapted to engage a suitable cam 35 carried by the frame A to occur below the forming head B. The cam 35 is provided with front and rear, upwardly inclined faces 36 and 37, and serves to shift and hold the block 28 up in the notch 29 against the set screw 33 and so that the mandrils 26 and 27 are held in vertical spaced relationship to each other.

A compression spring 37 is engaged around the pin 31 to occur between the head 34 on the stem and the bottom 21 of the body 17. The spring 37 normally yieldingly urges the block 28 downwardly in the notch 29 with the result that when the forming head B is rotated and the cam head 34 on the stem 31 is shifted out of engagement with the cam 35, the block 28 is drawn downwardly in the notch 29 and the upper mandril 27 on the block is shifted towards the lower mandril 26 and into tight clamped engagement on the strip S occurring between the mandrils.

In the particular case illustrated, the cam 35 is provided with a depending shank 38 which shank is threadedly engaged in a suitable block-like member 39 fixed to and projecting from the end of the frame A. With this relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the vertical positioning of the cam can be advantageously varied and that vertical spacing of the forming mandrils 26 and 27 can be controlled as circumstances require.

In the preferred carrying out of the invention and as illustrated in the drawings, the cam engaging head 34 on the stem 31 is provided with a suitable roller 40.

The operating means E adapted to rotate the forming head B is shown as including a pinion gear 41 fixed to the other end of the shaft 15, a double acting pneumatic cylinder and piston unit 42 fixed to and carried by the frame A, and a rack 43 carried by the cylinder and piston unit and engaged with the pinion gear and adapted to rotate the shaft 15, and the head B carried thereby, 360 upon each stroke of the piston unit 42. The cylinder and piston unit 42 can receive air under pressure from any suitable source and is under control of a suitable two-way valve 44, which valve is adapted to be actuated by the towing head mechanism and in a manner that will be hereinafter described.

The strip S is fed or drawn into the machine from its source or supply (not shown) through a suitable guide Z, which guide is spaced forwardly 'of and is aligned with the mandrils 26 and 27 on the forming head B. When the forming head is in one position, as for instance, when it is forming the loop sections Y of the pleater P, the strip S extends rearwardly from the guide Z over the upper mandril 27, downwardly and forwardly between the mandrils and then downwardly and rearwardly around and below the lower mandril and to a point where it is engaged by the towing head C, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings. When the forming head B is rotated 360 and in order to form the next adjacent loop section X of the pleater P, the strip S extends rearwardly from the guide Z and under the lower mandril 26, upwardly and forwardly between the mandrils and then upwardly and rearwardly around and above the upper mandril 27 and into engagement with the towing head C, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings.

The towing head C is adapted to engage and draw a predetermined length of the strip S through the forming head B each time the head is rotated 360 and in the manner set forth above. The towing head D is a fiat, substantially vertically disposed unit having like vertically spaced upper and lower body sections 45 and 46 held in spaced relationship by like tie members 47 fixed to and extending between their corresponding opposite sides. The body sections 45 and 46 and the tie members 47 cooperate to define a central opening 48 in the unit and through which the strip S or pleater P extends as it is drawn from the forming head B.

The upper body section 45 of the towing head C is provided with a spring loaded pin 49 that projects downwardly into the opening 48 and which is provided with a downwardly and rearwardly facing hook 50 adapted to engage in the openings 10 in the pleater P.

The lower section 46 of the towing head C is provided with a spring loaded pin 51 that projects upwardly into the opening 48 and which is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly facing hook 52, adapted to engage in the opening 10 in the pleater P.

The towing head C is secured to and carried by the upper end of an elongate lever arm 53 pivotally connected to the base 11 of the frame A and so that it occurs rearwardly of the forming head B and is in alignment with the forming mandrils 26 and 27 thereof.

The drive means F adapted to operate and/or shift the towing head C includes a countershaft 53 rotatably carried by the front legs -13 of the frame A, a prime mover M carried by the base 11 of the frame A, a belt and pulley drive 54 between the motor and the countershaft, a crank 55 on the countershaft and a rod 56 fixed to and extending between the crank and the lever arm 53.

The drive means F is such that it shifts the towing head C forwardly towards the forming head B and to a point just forward of the last opening 10 in the pleater P that had been drawn through the forming head B, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The towing head C is then shifted rearwardly and away from the forming head B whereupon one or the other of the hooks 50 or 52 engages in the said last opening 10 in the pleater to shift the pleater rearwardly and draw another length or portion of the strip S through the forming head. The rearward movement or stroke of the towing head C is such that it draws a predetermined length of the strip S through the forming head and so that when the towing head is shifted forwardly again, the next opening 10 in the pleater is in position to be engaged by the other hook 50 or 52 of the towing head.

In the particular case illustrated, upon each rearward stroke of the towing head C, the strip S is drawn through the forming head B to establish one loop section X or Y of the pleater P and stops so that the next opening 10 in the strip S that is to be drawn into position to be engaged by the towing head upon its next forward stroke occurs between the mandrils 26 and 27 of the forming head. In this manner, the desired positioning of the openings 10 in the pleater, that is, so that the opening occurs along the central longitudinal axis of the pleater is assured.

The valve 44 of the operating means E for the forming head B and adapted to operate the cylinder and piston unit 42 to rotate the head B is carried by an elongate belt secured to the frame A to project rearwardly therefrom and so that the valve 44 occurs rearwardly of the lever arm 53 that carries the towing head C. The valve 44 is provided with a forwardly projecting operating stem 156 and is so positioned that when assua e the lever arm 53 reaches *the end of its rearward stroke, it engages'the stem 156 and operates the valve with resulting rotation of the forming head B.

The tension means D provided by the present invention is adapted to maintain the pleaterin tension and in an extended or flattened condition when the towing head C is shifted forwardly and so that the pleater extends freely through the opening 48 in the towing head andso that the portions of the pleater in which the openings occur are disposed in such a manner that the hooks 50 and 52 of the towing head can properly engage in the said openings.

The means D is shown as including a pleater engaging tension head 60 similar in construction to the towing head C, spring actuated supporting means supporting the head 60 so that it occurs rearwardly of and in alignment with the towing head C and so that the head is normally yieldingl-y urged rearwardly relative to the forming head B and'the towing head C.

The means D is shown as further including a duct '61 related to the towing head C and the tension head 60 and adapted to slidably receive and maintain the pleater P in flattened and/or extended condition and so that the tension head can properlyengage the pleater when establishing a new purchase thereon as will hereinafter be described.

The duct 61 of the tension head D is an elongate tubular member having flat, horizontally disposed top and bottom walls 62 and.63 and flat, vertically disposed rear walls 64 and defining a longitudinal passageway 65. The duct 61 is pivotally carried by the towing head C, by a pair of elongate rearwardly projecting arms 66, and so that the duct is in alignment with and projects rearwardly from the towing head C. In the case illustrated, the arms 66 are pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the duct 61 at the rear end portion thereof and to the opposite sides of the head C.

The pleater P enters the forward end of the duct 61 to project therethrough and is held in an extended or flattened condition between the top and bottom walls 62 and 63, of the duct.

The tension head 60 of the tension means D includes a block-like body having upper and lower body sections 67 and 68 overlying the upper and lower walls 62 and 63 of the duct 61 and side plates 69 extending between and joining at the body sections 67 and 68 and overlying the side walls 64 of the duct.

The upper body section 67 of the tension head is provided with a spring-loaded pin '70 that projects downwardly from the underside of the said section and through an elongate slot-like opening 71 provided in the top wall '62 of the duct and terminates within the passageway 65. The pin 70'is provided with a downwardly and rearwardly facing hook 72 at its lower terminal end, which hook is adapted to engage in one of the openings 10 in the pleater P occurring in the duct. The lower body section 68 is similar to the upper body section 67 and is provided with a spring-loaded .pin 73 that projects upwardly from the top side of the said section and through a suitable elongate slot-like opening 74 provided in the bottom wall 63 of the duct and terminates within the passageway '65. The pin 73 is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly facing hook 75 at its upper terminal end adapted to engage in one of the openings 10 in the pleater P occurring in the duct 61.

The spring-actuated supporting means for the tension head 60 is shown as including an elongate lever arm 76 pivotally connected to the rear leg 14 of the frame A at a point intermediate its ends, a yoke-like mounting bracket '77 at the. upper end of the arm embracing and pivotally connected to the head 60 at the opposite sides thereof, and a tension spring 78 connected with and extending between the lower end of the arm and the forward portion of the base 11 of the frame A, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 'of the drawings. With the above relationship of parts, it

6 will be apparent that through the action of thespring 78, the tension head 60 is urged rearwardly relative to the forming head B, towing head -C,.and the duct-"61, with-the result that when the towing head C isshifted forwardly and out of hooked engagement with the pleater P, the pleater is maintained in tension and so that the towing head canestablish hooked engagement with the next opening 10in the pleater P. It will also be apparent that when the towing head C is shifted forwardly, the duct 61 shifts forwardly therewith and relative to the tension head-60 and the pleater P and sothat a new length ofpleater-occurs within the duct.

As a result of the above, it will be apparent that upon each stroke of :the towing head 0 and when a new length of pleater P is engaged in the duct '61, the tensionhead' 60 must be shifted forwardly relative to the duct 61 :to

take a new purchase on the pleater P therein. That is, the tension head must be shifted forwardly relativeto the duct to-establish hooked engagement with the next opening 10 of the pleater occurring within the duct.

'In the case illustrated, I have provided actuating means G to shift the tension head 60 forwardly relative to the duct 61 each time a new .length of pleater P is engaged therein and so that the tension head can establish new engagement therewith.

In the form of the invention under consideration, the

actuating means G includes a bearing 80 pivotally carried by the lever arm 76 at a point spaced below the pivotal axis of the arm. A drive rod 81 pivotally connected to the crank 55 of the drive means F and slidably engaged in the bearing .80, and astriker, or stop 82 fixed to the rod 81 and adapted to engage the bearing .80 and to shift the .lower end of .the lever arm 76 rearwardl'y upon each revolutionof the crank 55. It will be apparent that when the lower end of the lever arm 76 is shifted rearwardly in the manner set forth above, the tension head carried by the upper end of the lever arm is shifted forwardly relative to the duct 61 and in thernanner desired.

In the preferred carrying out of the invention, :the means F and G are related so that the tension head is shifted forwardly just prior to the time whentheitowing head C reaches the end of its rearward stroke and when a the towing head is shifted forward and the forming head B is rotated.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that when the towing head C is shifted forwardly and is out of engagement with the pleater P the forming headis being rotated with the result that the forming mandrils 26 and 27 on the forming head hold the strip S in tight clamped engagement and so the said strip cannot .be drawn therebetween and so that tension on the pleater P between the forming head B and the tension head 60is not lost.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that through the present invention I provide a machine that can handle a continuous, or substantially continuous, strip of perforated spring steel and continuously and successively form it into a sinuous drapery pleater of the character referred to, in a most effective and practical manner.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, :but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a sinuous drapery pleater forming machinerhaving front and rear sides, a rotatable forming head having a pair of elongate vertically spaced forming mandrils extending parallel with the front and rear sides of the machine, said head being adapted to engage an elongate ribbon of spring steel havinglongitudinally, spaced openings so that the ribbon extends rearwardly around .one

of mandrils and then around the other mandril to continue rearwardly, operating means adapted to intermittently rotate the forming head 360, and towing means spaced rearwardly of the forming head and adapted to engage and draw a predetermined length of said strip around and between the mandrils on the forming head each time the forming head is rotated to form the ribbon into a sinuous pleater and so the openings in the strip occur at points of symmetry throughout the longitudinal extent of the pleater.

2. A machine adapted to form an elongate ribbon-like strip of spring steel into a sinuous drapery pleater including, a rotatable forming head having a pair of vertically spaced forming mandrils and engaging the strip, a towing head engaging the strip and adapted to draw the strip around and between the mandrils on the forming head to draw-form the ribbon about the mandrils, and means related to the forming head and the towing head and adapted to shift the towing head and to rotate the forming head intermittently.

3. A machine adapted to form an elongate ribbon-like strip of spring steel into a sinuous drapery pleater including, an elongate rotatable forming head having front and rear ends, a pair of vertically spaced forming mandrils projecting from one end of the forming head and engaging the strip, the said strip extending rearwardly and then forwardly around one of said mandrils to extend between the pair of mandrils and then extending rearwardly around the other mandril, a towing head spaced rearwardly of the forming head and engaging the strip .and adapted to draw predetermined lengths of the strip around and between the mandrils on the forming head intermittently to draw-form the ribbon, and means related to the forming head and the towing head and adapted to rotate the forming head 360 each time the towing head has drawn a length of the strip through the forming head.

4. A machine adapted to form an elongate ribbon-like strip of spring steel having longitudinally spaced openings into a sinuous drapery pleater including, an elongate rotatable forming head having front and rear ends, a pair of vertically spaced forming mandrils projecting from one end of the forming head and engaging the strip, the said strip extending rearwardly and then forwardly around one of said mandrils to extend between the pair of mandrils and then extending rearwardly around the other mandril, a towing head spaced rearwardly of the forming head and having means engageable in the openings in the strip and adapted to draw predetermined lengths of the strip around and between the mandrils on the forming head intermittently to draw-form the ribbon, and means related to the forming head and the towing head and adapted to rotate the forming head 360 each time the towing head has drawn a length of the strip through the forming head.

5. A drapery pleater forming machine adapted to form an elongate ribbon-like strip of spring steel having longitudinally spaced openings into an elongate sinuous drapery pleater including, a rotatable forming head engaging the strip, a towing head engaging in the openings in the strip and adapted to draw a predetermined length of the strip through the forming head to draw-form the ribbon into sinuate form, actuating means adapted to intermit tently operate the towing head, and operating means related to the forming head and the towing head and adapted to rotate the forming head each time the towing head is shifted and a length of the strip has been drawn through the forming head.

6. A drapery pleater forming machine adapted to form an elongate ribbon-like strip of spring steel having longitudinally spaced openings into an elongate sinuous drapery pleater including, a rotatable forming head having vertically spaced forming mandrils around and between which the strip is engaged, a towing head, actuating means adapted to reciprocate the towing head towards and away from the forming head, hook means in the towing head and adapted to engage in the openings in the strip when the towing head is shifted away from the forming head and to intermittently draw predetermined lengths of the strip around and between the mandrils on the forming head to draw-form the ribbon, and operating means related to the forming head and to the towing head and adapted to rotate the forming head 360 each time a length of the strip is drawn therethrough.

7. A machine adapted to form an elongate ribbon-like strip of spring steel having longitudinally spaced openings into a sinuous drapery pleater including, an elongate rotatable forming head with inner and outer ends and front and rear sides, and a pair of vertically spaced forming mandrils projecting from the outer end, the said strip extending rearwardly to overlie one mandril, forwardly between the mandrils, and then rearwardly to overlie the other mandril, a reciprocatory head spaced rearwardly of the forming head and having hooks adapted to engage in the openings in the strip, means related to the forming head and the towing head and adapted to rotate the forming head and reciprocate the forming head intermittently and tension means adapted to maintain the pleater in tension when the forming head is rotated and the towing head is shifted forwardly towards the forming head.

8. A machine adapted to form an elongate ribbon-like strip of spring steel having longitudinally spaced openings into a sinuous drapery pleater including, an elongate rotatable forming head with inner and outer ends and front and rear sides, and a pair of vertically spaced forming mandrils projecting from the outer end, the said strip extending rearwardly to overlie one mandril and forwardly between the pair of mandrils and then rearwardly to overlie the other mandril, a towing head spaced rearwardly of the forming head to shift towards and away from the forming head and having hooks adapted to engage in the openings in the strip when the towing head is shifted away from the forming head, actuating means related to the towing head to shift the towing head relative to the forming head, operating means related to the forming head and to the said actuating means and adapted to rotate the forming head at the end of each rearward stroke of the towing head, and tension means adapted to maintain the pleater in tension when the forming head is rotated and the towing head is shifted forwardly towards the forming head.

9. A machine adapted to form an elongate ribbon-like strip of spring steel having longitudinally spaced openings into a sinuous drapery pleater including, an elongate rotatable forming head with inner and outer ends and front and rear sides, and a pair of vertically spaced forming mandrils projecting from the outer end, the said strip extending rearwardly to overlie one mandril, forwardly between the pair of mandrils and then rearwardly to overlie the other mandril, a reciprocatory head spaced rearwardly of the forming head and adapted to be shifted forwardly and rearwardly relative to the forming head, the towing head having hooks adapted to engage in the openings in the strip when the towing head is shifted rearwardly to draw a predetermined length of the strip through the forming head, means related to the forming head and adapted to rotate the forming head 360 after each rearward stroke of the towing head and tension means adapted to maintain the pleater in tension when the forming head is rotated and the towing head is shifted forwardly towards the forming head, one of said forming mandrils being shiftably carried by the forming head and adapted to be shifted towards the other mandril to clamp the strip therebetween when the head is being rotated.

10. A machine adapted to form an elongate ribbonlike strip of spring steel having longitudinally spaced openings into a sinuous drapery pleater including, an elongate rotatable forming head with inner and outer ends and front and rear sides, and a pair of vertically spaced forming mandrils projecting from the outer end, the said strip extending rearwardly from a suitable supply and guide means spaced forwardly of the head to direct said strip rearwardly toward the head, said strip extending rearwardly and then downwardly to overlie and extend around one mandril, then forwardly between the pair of mandrils and then downwardly and rearwardly to overlie and extend around the other mandril, a towing head spaced rearwardly of the forming head to shift towards and away from the forming head and having opposed upper and lower spring loaded pins with rearwardly facing hooks adapted to engage in the openings in the strip when the towing head is shifted away from the forming head, drive means related to the towing head to shift the towing head relative to the forming head, operating means related to the forming head and to the said drive means and adapted to rotate the forming head 360 at the end of each rearward stroke of the towing head, and tension means adapted to maintain the pleater in tension when the forming head is rotated and the towing head is shifted forwardly towards the forming head, said towing head drawing the ribbon around and between the mandrils on the forming head upon each rearward stroke to draw-form the ribbon about the mandrils and into sinuate form.

11. A machine adapted to form an elongate ribbon-like strip of spring steel having longitudinally spaced openings into a sinuous drapery pleater including, an elongate rotatable forming head with inner and outer ends and front and rear sides, and a pair of vertically spaced forming mandrils projecting from the outer end, the said strip extending rearwardly to overlie one mandril, then forwardly between the pair of mandrils and then rearwardly to overlie the other mandril, a towing head spaced rearwardly of the forming head to shift towards and away from the forming head and having hooks adapted to engage in the openings in the strip when the towing head is shifted away from the forming head, actuating means related to the towing head to shift the towing head relative to the form ing head, operating means related to the forming head and to the said actuating means and adapted to rotate the forming head at the end of each rearward stroke of the towing head, and tension means adapted to maintain the pleater in tension when the forming head is rotated and the towing head is shifted forwardly towards the forming head.

12. A machine adapted to form an elongate ribbonlike strip of spring steel having longitudinally spaced openings into a sinuous drapery pleater including, an elongate rotatable forming head with inner and outer ends and front and rear sides, and a pair of vertically spaced forming mandrils projecting from the outer end, the said strip extending rearwardly to overlie one mandril, then forwardly between the pair of mandrils and then rearwardly to overlie the other mandril, a towing head spaced rearwardly of the forming head to shift towards and away from the forming head and having hooks adapted to engage in the openings in the strip when the towing head is shifted away from the forming head, actuating means related to the towing head to shift the towing head relative to the forming head, operating means related to the forming head and to the said actuating means and adapted to rotate the forming head at the end of each rearward stroke of the towing head, and tension means adapted to maintain the pleater in tension when the forming head is rotated and the towing head is shifted forwardly towards the forming head, said tension means including a tension head spaced rearwardly of the towing head and having hook means engageable in the openings of the pleater and spring actuated supporting means normally yieldingly urging the tension head rearward-1y.

13. A machine adapted to form an elongate ribbon lik-e strip of spring steel having longitudinally spaced openings into a sinuous drapery pleater including, an elongate rotatable forming head with inner and outer ends and front and rear sides, and a pair of vertically spaced forming mandrils projecting from the outer end, the said strip extending rearwardly from a suitable supply and guide means spaced forwardly of the head to overlie one mandril then forwardly between the pair of mandrils and then rearwardly to overlie the other mandril, a towing head spaced rearwardly of the forming head and adapted to be shifted forwardly and rearwardly relative to the forming head, the towing head having upper and lower hooks adapted to occur at opposite sides of the pleater and to engage in the openings in the pleater when the towing head is shifted rearwardly to draw a predetermined length of the strip through the forming head, operating means related to the forming head and adapted to rotate the forming head 360 after each rearward stroke of the towing head, tension means adapted tomaintain the pleater in tension when the forming head is rotated and the towing head is shifted forwardly towards the forming head and including, an elongate duct having lateral slot-like openings carried by the towing head to project rearwardly therefrom and slidably receiving the pleater and holding the pelater in a flattened condition, a tension head related to the duct and having hook means projecting through the slot-like openings to engage the pleater, spring actuated support means normally yieldingly urging the tension head rearwardly relative to the duct, and actuating means adapted to shift the tension head forwardly relative to the duct and to the pleater therein when the towing head and the duct are shifted rearwardly, one of said forming mandrils being shiftably carried by the forming head and adapted to be shifted towards the other mandril to clamp the strip therebetween when the head is being rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

